“I know,” she grins and then goes back to stirring somethingin the pot.
“What are you making?”
“Rice pudding. I figured it was time for some comfortdessert.”
Rice pudding is Aunt Brenna’s famous recipe. She makes itevery year for the holidays and always give us some to bring back.
“So, if you’re making rice pudding, I’m going to assume wehave a crisis?”
She shrugs. “You can be dramatic when it comes to yournemesis. I’m just prepared for it.”
I’m not dramatic. That’s the thing of it, I am so underdramatic about him it’s crazy. Instead of pitching a fit, like I’ve wanted to,I’ve been calm and used his superiority against him to stay at the top of mygame.
And I don’t actually think he’s superior. He’s just a majorass.
It doesn’t help that our families have met and my Uncle Seanis friends with his dad. I have to hear that shit all the time too. Theyapparently came up in the minor leagues or some crap.
I don’t know.
And of course, Cayden’s twin brother is the starting secondbaseman for the Yankees, so my other cousin, Austin, always bitches about him.The Benson-Hennington name is constantly uttered around me, as though I needany more reminders of him.
My point is, I don’t flip out, I just…loathe him.
“I’ll take the rice pudding without the commentary,” I tellher.
Melanie grins. “We know that’s not going to happen. Now,spill the tea.”
I run through my meeting with him and then the visit in myoffice. As I sip my wine and tell the story, I feel a little better at how Ihandled things.
“I’m surprised it ended that way,” Mel says as she turns offthe burner and puts the lid on the pot.
“Why?”
“Because I would’ve expected him to follow you home or be outsidethe office with cupcakes or flowers. He’s smooth and calculating, he doesn’tgive up either. I just can’t imagine he went home after you denied him accessto the building like a kicked puppy.”
“I thought the same thing. I was so prepared to walk to thesubway with my headphones in, ignoring him the entire way.”
Not that anyone ever really ignores him. He’s hard to missand even harder not to look at. Cayden is sexy beyond words. He’s tall withlight brown hair, and when he looks at you, the world falls away around him.
I really hate that part.
Melanie drains her wine before filling us both up. “Does hiscase have legs?”
“Not really. Whoever drew up the contract before left me alot of wiggle room and I plan to take all of it.”
“So, his clients signed it and yours won’t?”
“The contract is signed, but when Cayden took over handlingthe case, he found the errors and is trying for a renegotiation since no monieshave been transferred. I guess it’s what I would do.”
She raises her glass. “Then we know it’s the right move.”
I smile, loving how my cousin always has my back. “But it’snot for my clients. Their error works in my benefit.”
“Then you give him hell, my friend.” Melanie raises her wineglass and I clink mine.
The two of us sit on the floor of the living room, eatingtakeout, drinking wine, and talking. Her life is so much more glamourous thanmine. She’s doing amazing things in the fashion industry and gets to meet someincredible people. Her mentor is getting ready to launch a new fall line and Melaniegot to design a subset that will be premiered.
“Are you nervous?” I ask.
